Polymerized oils and methods of manufacturing the same

ABSTRACT

Described herein is a polymerized biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil, comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content, a polydispersity index ranging from about 1.0 to about 5.0, and sulfur content ranging from 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt %. Methods of manufacturing the polymerized oil as well as its incorporation into asphalt paving, roofing, and coating applications are also described.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/715,954, filed on Sep. 26, 2017, which application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/553,746, filed on Aug. 25, 2017, which application is a U.S. National Stage Filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 from International Application No. PCT/US2016/019820, filed on Feb. 26, 2016, and published as WO 2016/138407 on Sep. 1, 2016, which application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/126,064 filed Feb. 27, 2015, which applications and publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to polymerized oils and methods for polymerizing oils and blending with asphalt to enhance performance of virgin asphalt and/or pavements containing recycled and aged bituminous material.

BACKGROUND

Recent technical challenges facing the asphalt industry have created opportunities for the introduction of agriculture-based products for the overall performance enhancement of asphalt. Such performance enhancements may include expanding the useful temperature interval (UTI) of asphalt, rejuvenating aged asphalt, and compatibilizing elastomeric thermoplastic polymers in asphalt.

SUMMARY

Aspects described herein provide a polymerized oil, comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content, a polydispersity index ranging from about 1.0 to about 5.0, and sulfur content ranging from 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt %.

Other aspects described herein provide a method of polymerizing an oil comprising heating a biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil to at least 100° C., adding a sulfur-containing compound to the heated oil, and allowing the sulfur-containing compound to react with the oil to produce a polymerized oil comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content, a polydispersity index ranging from about 1.0 to about 5.0, and sulfur content ranging from 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt %.

Yet other aspects described herein provide the incorporation of the polymerized oil in asphalt paving, roofing, and coating applications.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a complex modulus curve of asphalt as a function of reduced loading frequency.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“Flash Point” or “Flash Point Temperature” is a measure of the minimum temperature at which a material will initially flash with a brief flame. It is measured according to the method of ASTM D-92 using a Cleveland Open Cup and is reported in degrees Celsius (° C.).

“Oligomer” is defined as a polymer having a number average molecular weight (Mn) larger than 1000. A monomer makes up everything else and includes monoacylgyclerides (MAG), diacylglycerides (DAG), triacylglycerides (TAG), and free fatty acids (FFA).

“Performance Grade” (PG) is defined as the temperature interval for which a specific asphalt product is designed. For example, an asphalt product designed to accommodate a high temperature of 64° C. and a low temperature of −22° C. has a PG of 64-22. Performance Grade standards are set by America Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM).

“Polydispersity Index” (also known as “Molecular Weight Distribution”) is the ratio of weight average molecular weight (Mw) to number average molecular weight (Mn). The polydispersity data is collected using a Gel Permeation Chromatography instrument equipped with a Waters 510 pump and a 410 differential refractometer. Samples are prepared at an approximate 2% concentration in a THF solvent. A flow rate of 1 ml/minute and a temperature of 35° C. are used. The columns consist of a Phenogel 5 micron linear/mixed Guard column, and 300×7.8 mm Phenogel 5 micron columns (styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer) at 50, 100, 1000, and 10000 Angstroms. Molecular weights were determined using the following standards:

Arcol Epoxidized LHT Soybean Acclaim Multranol Acclaim Standard Monoolein Diolein 240 Triolein Oil 2200 3400 8200 Molecular 356 620 707 878 950 2000 3000 8000 Weight (Daltons)

“Useful Temperature Interval” (UTI) is defined as the interval between the highest temperature and lowest temperature for which a specific asphalt product is designed. For example, an asphalt product designed to accommodate a high temperature of 64° C. and a low temperature of −22° C. has a UTI of 86. For road paving applications, the seasonal and geographic extremes of temperature will determine the UTI for which an asphalt product must be designed. UTI of asphalt is determined by a series of AASHTO and ASTM standard tests developed by the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) also known as the “Performance Grading” (PG) specification.

Asphalt and Bituminous Materials

For the purpose of this invention asphalt, asphalt binder, and bitumen refer to the binder phase of an asphalt pavement. Bituminous material may refer to a blend of asphalt binder and other material such as aggregate or filler. The binder used in this invention may be material acquired from asphalt producing refineries, flux, refinery vacuum tower bottoms, pitch, and other residues of processing of vacuum tower bottoms, as well as oxidized and aged asphalt from recycled bituminous material such as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS).

Starting Oil Material

Biorenewable oils or petroleum based oil may be used as the starting oil material.

Petroleum based oil includes a broad range of hydrocarbon-based compositions and refined petroleum products, having a variety of different chemical compositions which are obtained from recovery and refining oils of fossil based original and considered non-renewable in that it takes millions of year to generate crude starting material. This also includes waste/crude streams resulting from petroleum based oil refining processes.

Biorenewable oils includes oils isolated from plants, animals, and algae. Examples of plant-based oils may include but are not limited to soybean oil, linseed oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, castor oil, tall oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, corn oil, corn stillage oil, lecithin (phospholipids) and combinations and crude streams thereof.

Examples of animal-based oils may include but are not limited to animal fat (e.g., lard, tallow) and lecithin (phospholipids), and combinations and crude streams thereof.

Biorenewable oils can also include partially hydrogenated oils, oils with conjugated bonds, and bodied oils wherein a heteroatom is not introduced, for example but not limited to, diacylglycerides, monoacylglycerides, free fatty acids, alkyl esters of fatty acids (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters), diol and triol esters (e.g., ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, trimethylolpropane), and mixtures thereof. An example of biorenewable oils may be waste cooking oil or other used oils.

Previously modified or functionalized oils may also be used as the starting oil material. Examples of previously modified oils are those that have been previously vulcanized or polymerized by other polymerizing technologies, such as maleic anhydride or acrylic acid modified, hydrogenated, dicyclopentadiene modified, conjugated via reaction with iodine, interesterified, or processed to modify acid value, hydroxyl number, or other properties. Some examples of previously modified oils are polyol esters, for example polyglycerol ester or a castor oil ester, or estolides. Such modified oils can be blended with unmodified plant-based oils or animal-based oils, fatty acids, glycerin, and/or lecithin. Examples of functionalized oils are those wherein a heteroatom (oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus) has been introduced.

Sulfur Crosslinking of the Oil

In the various aspects, polymerization of the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil is achieved through crosslinking of the fatty acid chains and/or the glyceride fraction of the tri-glyceride molecules contained in the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil utilizing a sulfur-containing compound. The sulfur in the sulfur-containing compound is preferably in a reduced form. The polymerization method comprises the steps of (a) heating a biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil (b) adding a sulfur-containing compound to the heated oil, and (c) allowing the sulfur-containing compound to react with the oil to produce a polymerized oil with a desired polymeric distribution (having about 2 wt % to about 80 wt % oligomer content), polydispersity index (from about 1.0 to about 5.0), and sulfur content (between about 0.01 wt % and about 8 wt %).

In a first step, the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil is heated in a vessel equipped with an agitator to at least 100° C. In more preferred aspects, the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil (may also be collectively referred to herein as the “oil”) is heated to at least 115° C. In preferred aspects, the sulfur-containing compound is gradually added to the heated biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil and may be added in either a solid or a molten form, however it shall be understood that the sulfur-containing compound may be added before the oil or simultaneously with the oil. In preferable aspects, the sulfur-containing compound may be elemental sulfur, but is not limited to such. The reaction between the sulfur and oil inherently increases the temperature of the oil-sulfur mixture and in preferred aspects, the reaction is held at temperatures between about 130° C. and about 250° C., more preferably between about 130° C. and about 220° C., and even more preferably between about 160° C. and about 200° C. during the course of the reaction.

The oil-sulfur mixture may be continuously sparged with a gas-containing stream during the polymerization reaction between the oil and the sulfur. The gas-containing stream may be selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, air, and other gases. The gas-containing stream may help facilitate the reaction and may also assist in reducing odors (H₂S and other sulfides) associated with the reaction, in the final product. Use of air can be beneficial, as it may lead to oxi-polymerization of the oil in addition to the sulfurization process.

Optionally, accelerators may be used to increase the rate of the reaction. Examples of accelerators include, but are not limited to, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, dithiocarbamates.

The reaction may continue and may be continuously monitored using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and/or viscosity until the desired degree of polymerization is achieved as discussed below.

The robustness of the sulfur crosslinking reaction and the ability to use it for the polymerization of lower cost feedstocks containing a high free fatty acid content and residual moisture is an advantage of this polymerization method compared to other processes, providing flexibility in starting material selection.

Polymerization Characteristics

The reaction between the sulfur-containing compound and the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified, or functionalized oil is driven until a polymeric distribution having between about 2 wt % and about 80 wt % oligomers (20 wt % to 98 wt % monomers), and more preferably between about 15 wt % to about 60 wt % oligomers (40 wt % to 85 wt % monomers), and even more preferably between about 20 wt % to about 60 wt % oligomers (40 wt % to 80 wt % monomers) is achieved. In even more preferred aspects, the polymeric distribution ranges from about 50 wt % to about 75 wt % oligomers and about 25 wt % to about 50 wt % monomers.

The polydispersity index of the polymerized oil ranges from about 1.0 to about 5.0, more preferably from about 1.30 to about 2.20, and even more preferably from about 1.50 to about 2.05.

A benefit of the reaction described herein is the low sulfur content in the resulting polymerized oil. In some aspects, the sulfur content makes up less than 8 wt % of the polymerized oil. In other aspects, the sulfur content makes up less than 6 wt % of the polymerized oil. In yet other aspects, the sulfur content makes up less than 4 wt % of the polymerized oil. And in other aspects, the sulfur content makes up less than 2 wt % of the polymerized oil. The sulfur content, however, comprises at least 0.001 wt % of the polymerized oil.

The flash point of the resulting polymerized oil, as measured using the Cleveland Open Cup method, is at least about 100° C. and no more than about 400° C. In some aspects, the flash point of the polymerized oil is between about 200° C. and about 350° C. In other aspects, the flash point of the polymerized oil is between about 220° C. and about 300° C. In yet other aspects, the flash point of the polymerized oil is between about 245° C. and about 275° C. The polymerized oils described herein may have higher flash point than its starting oil material, especially when compared against other polymerization techniques.

The viscosity of the polymerized oil will vary based on the type of starting oil material, but generally ranges from about 1 cSt to about 100 cSt at 100° C.

End-Use Applications

In one aspect, the present invention provides a modified asphalt comprising a blend of 60 wt % to 99.9 wt % of asphalt binder and 0.1 wt % to 40 wt % of the polymerized oil, and a method for making the same, in which polymerization of the oil is achieved through sulfur cross-linking as described above. The modified asphalt may be used for road paving or roofing applications.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a modified asphalt comprising a blend of 60 wt % to 99.9 wt % asphalt binder and 0.1 wt % to 40 wt % of the polymerized oil, and a method for making the same, wherein the polymerized oil is a blend of an polymerized petroleum based oil achieved through sulfur cross-linking, as described above, and one or more of the biorenewable, petroleum based, previously modified or functionalized oils described above, for example: unmodified plant-based oil, animal-based oil, fatty acids, fatty acid methyl esters, gums or lecithin, and gums or lecithin in modified oil or other oil or fatty acid.

Other components, in addition to the polymerized oil, may be combined with an asphalt binder to produce a modified asphalt, for example but not limited to, thermoplastic elastomeric and plastomeric polymers (styrene-butadiene-styrene, ethylene vinyl-acetate, functionalized polyolefins, etc.), polyphosphoric acid, anti-stripping additives (amine-based, phosphate-based, etc.), warm mix additives, emulsifiers and/or fibers. Typically, these components are added to the asphalt binder/polymerized oil at doses ranging from about 0.1 wt % to about 10 wt %.

Asphalt Modification

The declining quality of bitumen drives the need for adding chemical modifiers to enhance the quality of asphalt products. Heavy mineral oils from petroleum refining are the most commonly used modifiers. These mineral oils extend the low temperature limit of the asphalt product by ‘plasticizing’ the binder, however this also tends to lower the upper temperature limit of the asphalt.

Mineral flux oils, petroleum-based crude distillates, and re-refined mineral oils have been used in attempts to soften the asphalt. Often, use of such material results in a decrease of the high temperature modulus of asphalt more than the low temperature, making the asphalt more prone to rutting at high temperatures. Such effects result in the reduction of the Useful Temperature Interval (UTI).

Mineral flux oils, petroleum-based crude distillates, and re-refined mineral oils often have volatile fractions at pavement construction temperatures (e.g., 150 to 180° C.), generally have lower flashpoints than that of asphalt, and may be prone to higher loss of performance due to oxidative aging.

The polymerized oils and blends described herein are not only viable substitutes for mineral oil, but have also been shown to extend the UTI of asphalts to a greater degree than other performance modifiers, therefore providing substantial value to asphalt manufacturers. The observed increase in UTI using the polymerized oils described herein is a unique property not seen in other asphalt softening additives such as asphalt flux, fuel oils, or flush oils. Typically one grade improvement in either the SHRP Performance Grading (PG) specification or the Penetration grading system used in many countries is achieved with approximately 2 to 3 wt % of the polymerized oil by weight of the asphalt. For example, the increase in UTI seen for approximately 3% by weight addition of the polymerized oil can be as much as 4° C., therefore providing a broader PG modification range such that the lower end temperature can be lower without sacrificing the higher end temperature.

Rejuvenation of Aged Bituminous Material

Asphalt “ages” through a combination of mechanisms, mainly oxidation and volatilization. Aging increases asphalt modulus, decreases viscous dissipation and stress relaxation, and increases brittleness at lower performance temperatures. As a result, the asphalt becomes more susceptible to cracking and damage accumulation. The increasing usage of recycled and reclaimed bituminous materials which contain highly aged asphalt binder from sources such as reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP) and recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) have created a necessity for “rejuvenators” capable of partially or completely restoring the rheological and fracture properties of the aged asphalt. Aging of asphalt has also been shown to increase colloidal instability and phase incompatibility, by increasing the content of high molecular weight and highly polar insoluble “asphaltene” fraction which may increasingly associate. The use of the polymerized oil described herein are particularly useful for RAP and RAS applications. The polymerized oil described in this document act as a compatibilizer of the asphalt fractions, especially in aged and oxidized asphalt, resulting in a balanced and stable asphalt binder with restored performance and durability.

During plant production the asphalt is exposed to high temperatures (usually between 150 to 190° C.) and exposure to air during which significant oxidation and volatilization of lighter fractions can occur leading to an increase in modulus and a decrease in viscous behavior. The aging process is simulated using a Rolling Thin Film Oven (ASTM D2872) during which a rolling thin film of asphalt is subjected a jet of heated air at about 163° C. for about 85 minutes. The rheological properties are measured before and after the aging procedure using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer following ASTM D7175 using the ratio of the (|G*|/sinδ) after to before aging, in which G* is the complex modulus and δ is the phase angle. The larger the ratio of the (|G*|/sinδ) after aging to the (|G*|/sinδ) before aging, the higher the effect of oxidative aging and volatilization on the tested asphalt.

Using this procedure it is shown that asphalts treated with the polymerized oil or blends thereof described in this invention have a lower ratio, thus showing a lower tendency for change in rheological properties as a result of oxidative aging and volatilization.

Accordingly, the polymerized oils described herein have been shown to be capable of rejuvenating aged asphalt binder, and modify the rheological properties of a lesser aged asphalt binder. As a result, small dosages of the polymerized oil can be used to incorporate high content of aged recycled asphalt material into pavements and other applications resulting in significant economic saving and possible reduction in the environmental impact of the pavement through reduction of use of fresh resources.

Notably, the polymerized oils described herein may be used to make an emulsion for use in asphalt rejuvenation applications. The emulsion comprises an oil phase and an aqueous phase. The oil phase comprises the polymerized oil described herein and may further comprise of asphalt binder and other additives and modifiers, wherein the oil is about 0.1 to 100 wt % of the oil phase. The aqueous phase often comprises a surfactant and may further comprise natural and synthetic polymers (such as Styrene Butadiene Rubber and latex) and/or water phase thickeners.

The oil phase makes up about 15 to 85 wt % of the emulsion with the aqueous phase making up the remaining balance. It is understood by those skilled in the art that emulsions are sometimes further diluted with water at time of application, thus the effective oil phase content of the diluted emulsion may be reduced indefinitely.

Further contemplated herein is a method comprising applying the emulsion to the surface of an existing pavement or applying the emulsion to treat RAS or RAP and further mixing the treated RAS or RAP with virgin asphalt thereby obtaining a rejuvenated asphalt blend.

The emulsion may also be used as part of a cold patching material, a high performance cold patch or cold mix application that contains recycled asphalt thereby obtaining treated RAS or RAP.

In other aspects, the emulsion may be used for cold-in-place recycling of milled asphalt pavements or hot-in-place recycling of milled asphalt pavements.

Elastomeric Thermoplastic Polymer Compatibilization in Asphalt

Asphalt is often modified with thermoplastic elastomeric and plastomeric polymers such as Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene (SBS) to increase high temperature modulus and elasticity, to increase resistance to heavy traffic loading and toughening the asphalt matrix against damage accumulation through repetitive loading. Such polymers are usually used at 3 to 7 wt % dosages in the asphalt and high shear blended into asphalt at temperatures exceeding 180° C. and allowed to “cure” at similar temperatures during which the polymer swells by adsorption of lighter fractions in the asphalt until a continuous volume phase is achieved in the asphalt.

The volume phase of the fully cured polymer will be affected by degree of compatibility of the polymer in the asphalt and the fineness of the dispersed particles, resulting in an increased specific area and enhanced swelling potential through increase of the interface surface between asphalt and polymer.

The polymerized oils described in this document have been shown to be capable of further compatibilizing elastomeric polymer in the asphalt, when the oil is added and blended into the asphalt before the incorporation of the polymer, or the curing stage. This will be especially effective in asphalt binders that are not very compatible with the elastomeric polymer. Furthermore, the oil may contribute to the lighter fractions that swell the polymers during the curing period.

Warm Mix Additives and Asphalt

In recent years an increasing portion of pavements are produced using what is commonly referred to as “warm mix additives” to produce “warm mix” asphalt pavements. Warm mix pavements can be produced and compacted at lower production temperatures, require less compaction effort to achieve target mixture density, and as a result can retain the properties necessary for compaction at lower temperature enabling an increase in the maximum haul distance of the asphalt mixture from the plant to the job site.

The different mechanisms through which warm mix additives provide a benefit include increased lubrication of aggregates during asphalt mixture compaction, reduction of the binder viscosity at production temperatures, and better coating and wettability of the aggregates. Thus a diverse range of chemicals and additives may exhibit one or more of the properties attributed to warm mix additives when added to an asphalt mixture.

The polymerized oils described herein can be used as a warm mix additive and/or compaction aid, to achieve a number of the benefits expected from a warm mix additive, including minimum decreasing production and construction temperatures through increase in aggregate lubrication and aggregate wettability. In such an application the additive would be used at dosages preferably in the range of between about 0.1 and 2% by weight of the bitumen.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are presented to illustrate the present invention and to assist one of ordinary skill in making and using same. The examples are not intended in any way to otherwise limit the scope of the invention.

Experimental Method

A charge of precipitated sulfur (mass ranges between 6.5 grams to 56.5 grams) is added to a 1 liter round bottom flask containing 650 grams of vegetable oil. The reactor is then heated to the target reaction temperature using a heating mantle, taking care not to over shoot the target temperature by more than 5° C. The reaction mixture is agitated using a motorized stirrer with a stir shaft and blade. The reaction is continuously sparged with nitrogen at 2-12 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH). A condenser and receiving flask is used to collect any distillate.

It is noted that the reaction will create foam around 110-115° C. when the sulfur melts into the oil. The reaction is monitored using GPC, to measure the oligomer content and distribution, and viscosity is measured at 40° C. using ASTM D445. The reaction is considered complete when the desired oligomer content has been achieved. The reactor is then cooled to 60° C.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are presented to illustrate the present invention and to assist one of ordinary skill in making and using same. The examples are not intended in any way to otherwise limit the scope of the invention.

Experimental Method

A charge of precipitated sulfur (mass ranges between 6.5 grams to 56.5 grams) is added to a 1 liter round bottom flask containing 650 grams of vegetable oil. The reactor is then heated to the target reaction temperature using a heating mantle, taking care not to over shoot the target temperature by more than 5° C. The reaction mixture is agitated using a motorized stirrer with a stir shaft and blade. The reaction is continuously sparged with nitrogen at 2-12 standard cubic feet per hour (SCFH). A condenser and receiving flask is used to collect any distillate.

It is noted that the reaction will create foam around 110-115° C. when the sulfur melts into the oil. The reaction is monitored using GPC, to measure the oligomer content and distribution, and viscosity is measured at 40° C. using ASTM D445. The reaction is considered complete when the desired oligomer content has been achieved. The reactor is then cooled to 60° C.

Example 1 Asphalt Modified with Polymerized Palm Oil #1

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat (i.e., unmodified) asphalt binder graded         at a standard grade of PG64-22 (and “true” grade of PG         64.88-24.7) Note: the true grade represents the exact         temperatures at which the asphalt met the controlling         specification values, which will always meet and exceed that of         the corresponding standard grade (i.e. the true high temperature         grade will always be larger than the standard high temperature         grade, and the true low temperature grade will always be lower         than that of the standard low temperature grade).     -   3.0% by weight of sulfurized refined palm oil reacted with 3% by         weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 5 hrs under a Nitrogen         sparge. This resulted in a modifier with:         -   31.8% oligomers         -   Viscosity of 17.2 cSt at 100° C.         -   Polydispersity Index (PDI) of approximately 1.30

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance with AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 4.8° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 0.8° C. Details are shown Table 1.

TABLE 1 Binder Name UTI¹ O-DSR² R-DSR³ S-BBR⁴ m-BBR⁵ ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized 90.4 60.04 60.72 −30.4 −32.7 Refined Palm Oil #1 ¹UTI: Useful Temperature Interval, as the difference between the high temperature performance grade and the low temperature performance grade, as determined using AASHTO M320. ²O-DSR: The High Temperature Performance Grade of the Unaged (“Original”) asphalt binder as measured using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) following ASTM D7175 and AASHTO M320. ³R-DSR: The High Temperature Performance Grade of the Rolling Thin Film Oven Aged (RTFO, following ASTM D2872) asphalt binder as measured using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) following ASTM D7175 and AASHTO M320. ⁴S-BBR: The Low Temperature Performance Grade controlled by the Creep Stiffness parameter (“S”), as measured on an asphalt binder conditioned using both the Rolling Thin Film Oven (ASTM D2872) and Pressure Aging Vessel (ASTM D6521), using a Bending Beam Rheometer following ASTM D6648 and AASHTO M320. ⁵m-BBR: The Low Temperature Performance Grade controlled by the Creep Rate parameter (“m” value), as measured on an asphalt binder conditioned using both the Rolling Thin Film Oven (ASTM D2872) and Pressure Aging Vessel (ASTM D6521), using a Bending Beam Rheometer following ASTM D6648 and AASHTO M320.

Example 2: Asphalt Modified with Polymerized Palm Oil #2

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of sulfurized refined palm oil reacted with 4% by         weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 20.5 hrs under a         Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with:         -   56.18% oligomers         -   Viscosity of 25.0 cSt at 100° C.         -   PDI of approximately 1.50

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 5.9° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 1.5° C. Details are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized 91.1 60.54 61.13 −30.6 −34.1 Refined Palm Oil #2

Example 3 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Recovered Corn Oil #1

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of sulfurized recovered corn oil (RCO) reacted         with 1.5% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 7 hrs         under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with:         -   16.0% oligomers         -   PDI of approximately 1.50

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 6.0° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 0.4° C. Details are shown in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized RCO 1 90.0 59.28 60.34 −30.7 −33.6

Example 4 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Recovered Corn Oil #2

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of sulfurized recovered corn oil (RCO) reacted         with 6.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 6 hrs         under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with:         -   50.3% oligomers         -   Viscosity at 40° C. was 270 cSt         -   PDI of approximately 2.19

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 4.4° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 0.7° C. Details are shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized RCO 2 90.3 61.23 61.3 −29.1 −30.9

Example 5 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Refined Sunflower Oil Blend #1

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a blend having:         -   14.5% by weight of a sulfurized refined sun flower oil             reacted with 7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C.             for 19 hrs under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a             modifier with 70.8% oligomers         -   85.5% by weight of refined sunflower oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the unmodified oil had 11.9%             oligomer content, a viscosity of 55 cSt at 40° C., and a PDI             of approximately 1.64.

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 5.3° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a full low temperature grade improvement with no change in the Useful Temperature Interval. Details are shown in Table 5.

TABLE 5 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized Sun 89.6 59.55 60.40 −30.0 −30.3 Flower Oil Blend 1

Example 6 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Refined Sunflower Oil Blend #2

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a blend having:         -   53.9% by weight of a sulfurized refined sunflower oil             reacted with 7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C.             for 19 hrs under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a             modifier with 70.8% oligomers         -   46.1% by weight of refined sunflower oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the unmodified oil had             42.76% oligomer content, a viscosity of 177 Cst at 40° C.,             and a PDI of approximately 3.16.

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. The modification resulted in a 4.8° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 0.1° C. Details are shown in Table 6:

TABLE 6 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized Sun 89.7 60.24 61.25 −29.5 −34.2 Flower Oil Blend 2

Example 7 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Refined Sunflower Oil Blend #3

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a blend having:     -   63.4% by weight of a sulfurized refined sunflower oil reacted         with 7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 19 hrs         under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with 70.8%         oligomers         -   36.6% by weight of refined sunflower oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the unmodified oil had 48.3%             oligomer content, a viscosity of 254 Cst at 40° C., and a             PDI of approximately 3.55.

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 5° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval improved by 0.8° C. Details are shown in Table 7.

TABLE 7 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized Sun 90.4 60.70 61.64 −29.7 −34.7 Flower Oil Blend 3

Example 8 Asphalt Modified with Refined Sunflower Oil Blend with Palm Oil #1

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a blend having:         -   14.5% by weight of a sulfurized refined sunflower oil             reacted with 7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C.             for 19 hrs under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a             modifier with 70.8% oligomers         -   84.5% by weight of palm oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the palm oil had about 11.9%             oligomer content         -   PDI of approximately 1.77

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 5° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval slightly decreased by 0.2° C. Details are shown in Table 8.

TABLE 8 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized SFO- 89.4 59.65 60.58 −29.7 −30.1 Palm Oil Blend 1

Example 9 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Refined Sunflower Oil Blend with Palm Oil #2

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a blend having:         -   59.0% by weight of a sulfurized refined sunflower oil             reacted with 7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C.             for 19 hrs under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a             modifier with 70.8% oligomer         -   41.0% by weight of palm oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the palm oil had about 43%             oligomer content, and a PDI of approximately 2.37

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. The modification resulted in a 4.2° C. low temperature grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval slightly decreased by 0.1° C. Details are shown in Table 9.

TABLE 9 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized SFO- 89.5 60.62 61.24 −28.9 −33.1 Palm Oil Blend 2

Example 10 Asphalt Modified with Sulfurized Soy Acid Oil (also known as “acidulated soap stock”)

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   3.0% by weight of a sulfurized refined Soy Acid Oil reacted with         5.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 8 hrs under a         Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with 28.14%         oligomer, a viscosity of 167 cSt at 40° C., and a PDI of         approximately 2.36. The modifier was blended into the asphalt         after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour.         Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO         M320. The modification resulted in a 3.3° C. low temperature         grade improvement, taking the neat binder grade of PG 64-22 to a         PG 58-28. The net change in the high and low performance grade         resulted in a Useful Temperature Interval decreased by 1.5° C.         This example highlights the potential undesirable effect of the         free fatty acid content on the modifier's performance, as it is         significantly less effective in improving the low temperature         performance grade compared to the drop caused at the high         temperature grade. Details are shown in Table 10.

TABLE 10 Binder Name UTI O-DSR R-DSR S-BBR m-BBR ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. ° C. Unmodified 89.6 64.88 65.88 −25.8 −24.7 +3% Sulfurized 88.1 60.07 61.39 −28 −31.6 Soy Acid Oil

Example 11 Asphalt Modified with StyreneButadieneStyrene and Sulfurized Recovered Corn Oil #1 as a Compatabilizer

A modified asphalt binder comprising:

-   -   92.41% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (true         PG 64.88-24.7)     -   5.5% by weight of Linear StyreneButadieneStyrene (SBS)     -   0.09% by weight of Elemental Sulfur (used as an SBS cross linker         in the asphalt binder     -   2.0% by weight of sulfurized recovered corn oil (RCO) as         described in Example #3.         Blending Procedure:

-   1. The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had     been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour. The modified binder heated to     about 193° C. for polymer modification.

-   2. The RPM in the high shear mixer was set to 1000 while the SBS was     added (within 1 minute). Immediately after addition of the polymer     the RPM was briefly ramped up to 3000 rpm for approximately 10     minutes to insure full break down of the SBS pellets, after which     the shear level was lowered to 1000 rpm. 3. Polymer blending was     continued at 1000 rpm for a total of 2 hrs. 4. Temperature was     dropped to about 182° C. at a 150 rpm at which point the sulfur     cross linker was added. 5. Blending was continued at 182° C. and 150     rpm for 2 hrs. 6. Polymerized binder was placed in an oven at     150° C. for approximately 12-15 hrs (overnight) to achieve full     swelling of the polymer.

Performance grade tests were performed in accordance to AASHTO M320. Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery tests were performed on the unaged binder at 76° C. and on the RTFO residue at 64° C. in accordance to AASHTO T350. The results show that despite the reduction in modulus the average percent of recovery of the binder increased for the binder containing the modifier, indicating the effect of the modifier as a compatibilizer of SBS, resulting in a better distribution of the same mass of the elastomeric polymer compared to the binder that did not contain the modifier and consequently a more efficient elastic network. Details are shown in Table 11.

TABLE 6 Binder Name MSCR at MSCR at 3.2 kPa 3.2 kPa Recovery Recovery DSR |G*|/sinδ at 64° C. at 76° C. Unaged (RTFO) (Unaged) 70° C. 76° C. 82° C. (%) (%) +5.5% SBS + 4.05 2.51 1.62 89.0% 67.7% 0.09% Sulfur +2% Example#1 + 3.34 2.11 1.40 93.1% 70.0% 5.5% SBS + 0.09% Sulfur

Example 12 Rejuvenation of Highly Aged Asphalt Binder using the Oil of Example #3

The example shown in FIG. 1 shows a complex modulus (G*) curve of asphalt as a function of reduced loading frequency, measured using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) following ASTM D7175. The measurements were made for samples of the asphalt binder used in Example #3 (PG64-22) after laboratory aging to three levels:

-   -   Aging Level 1: 85 minutes of oxidative aging in Rolling Thin         Film Oven at 163° C. (following ASTM D2872).     -   Aging Level 2: Continued aging of samples after aging level 1 by         subjecting it to 20 hrs of oxidative aging at 2.1 MPa air         pressure at 100° C. using a Pressure Aging Vessel (following         ASTM D6521). According to the Performance Grading specification,         20 hrs of PAV aging accelerates the simulated aging that would         normally occur during the performance life of an asphalt         pavement.     -   Aging Level 3: Continued aging of samples after aging level 1         and 2 by subjecting it to an additional 20 hrs of oxidative         aging using a Pressure Aging Vessel (PAV) for a total of 40 hrs         of PAV aging, representing the aging level of a binder from a         severely aged pavement.

FIG. 1 shows that additional aging from level 1 to level 2, and level 2 to level 3 caused significant increase in complex modulus across the reduced frequency spectrum.

The asphalt binder at Aging Level 3 was “rejuvenated” by heating the binder to 150° C. for 1 hr and blending in 5% by weight of the total binder of the Example #3 oil. The curve corresponding to the rejuvenated binder in FIG. 1 shows that the rejuvenation significantly decreased the G* of the aged asphalt across the whole spectrum of reduced frequencies, resulting in a binder with the rheological properties of a significantly lower aged asphalt binder.

Example 13 Rejuvenation of Highly Aged Asphalt Binder using the Oil of Example #4

The example shown in FIG. 1 shows a complex modulus (G*) curve of asphalt as a function of reduced loading frequency, measured using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) following ASTM D7175. The measurements were made for samples of the asphalt binder used in Example #3 (PG64-22) after laboratory aging to three levels described in Example 12, as before, showing that additional aging caused significant increase in complex modulus across the reduced frequency spectrum.

The asphalt binder at Aging Level 3 was “rejuvenated” by heating the binder to 150° C. for 1 hr and blending in 5% by weight of the total binder of the Example #4 oil. The curve corresponding to the rejuvenated binder in FIG. 2 shows that the rejuvenation significantly decreased the G* of the aged asphalt across the whole spectrum of reduced frequencies, resulting in a binder with the rheological properties of a lower aged asphalt binder.

Example 14 Effect of Oligomer Content on Improving Aging Stability

A set of samples were prepared in which different dosages of Oleic acid (C18:1) was blended into a refined soybean oil. A set of modified asphalt binder comprising the following was made:

-   -   97.0% by weight of neat asphalt binder graded as PG64-22 (PG         64.9-24.7)     -   3% of modifier, consisting of different proportions of the         following components:         -   Sulfurized Recovered Corn Oil, using 8% sulfur reacted at             160° C. for 4 hrs, achieving a oligomer content of 59.42%             and a PDI of 1.71.         -   Recovered corn oil, used as blend stock with the sulfurized             RCO to make modified oils consisting of 33.76, 39.84, 45.77,             and 50.88% oligomer content.

The modifier blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour.

Short term aging was performed using a Rolling Thin Film oven (RTFO) at 163° C. for 85 minutes in accordance to ASTM D2872. The procedure is used to simulate the oxidation and volatilization that occurs in the asphalt terminal when the binder is heated and applied to the aggregate. The RTFO conditioning increases the complex modulus through oxidation and volatilization, as measured using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer parallel plate geometry (25 mm diameter, 1 mm gap) in accordance to ASTM D7175.

The results shown in Table 12 demonstrate a significant decrease in the ratio of |G*|/sinδ after aging to that before aging, indicating a lower amount of “age hardening” in the asphalt binder as the sulfurized oligomer content increased. These results indicate the desirability of increasing the oligomer content to achieve modified asphalt with higher oxidative aging stability.

TABLE 72 Unaged RTFO Aged Ratio of Aging Oligomer |G*|/sinδ at |G*|/sinδ at RTFO/ Increase in Content (%) 58° C. (kPa) 58° C. (kPa) Unaged |G*|/sinδ    0% 1.07 2.87 2.67 157.2% 33.76% 1.26 3.31 2.62 153.0% 39.84% 1.31 3.31 2.52 145.4% 45.77% 1.36 3.36 2.48 138.1% 59.42% 1.49 3.31 2.14 113.6%

Example 15 High Temperature Storage and Thermal Stability

To assess the effect of using sulfurized oils on improving the resistance of the asphalt to excessive age hardening at high temperatures, a simple experiment was devised in which two sets of asphalt binders were kept in a closed lid container in a 165° C. oven for 35 days. The following samples were compared:

-   Sample 1: A neat asphalt binder graded as PG58-28. -   Sample 2: A modified binder consisting of:     -   97% by weight of the aforementioned PG58-28 neat binder     -   3% by weight of a blend having:         -   59.0% by weight of a sulfurized soybean oil reacted with             7.0% by weight of elemental sulfur at 160° C. for 19 hrs             under a Nitrogen sparge. This resulted in a modifier with             70.8% oligomer         -   41.0% by weight of straight soybean oil         -   Blend of the sulfurized oil and the soybean oil had about             45.6% oligomer content and a PDI of approximately 3.95.

The modifier was blended into the asphalt after the binder had been annealed at 150° C. for 1 hour.

The content of the cans was blended with a spatula daily and sampled periodically to be tested using a Dynamic Shear Rheometer. The results are shown in Table 13. The results show that both samples age hardened over time at a relatively similar rate up until 20 days of conditioning. After 20 days the neat asphalt continued to age harden at an accelerated rate while the asphalt containing the polymerized oil age hardened at a much lower rate.

The results highlight the use of the polymerized oils described in this invention for improving the high temperature thermal and oxidative stability of asphalt. This is of significant value, especially with the increasing need to store modified asphalt at higher temperatures and the desirability of minimizing the change properties during storage.

TABLE 13 Material Days in Oven at 165° C. Description 0 d 2 d 6 d 7 d 10 d 20 d 27 d 35 d Neat Asphalt |G*|/sinδ at 64° C. 0.62 0.88 0.91 1.12 1.53 2.61 4.20 12.52 Δ|G*|/sinδ (compared to 0 0.255 0.289 0.493 0.903 1.983 3.572 11.897 day 0) Asphalt + 3% |G*|/sinδ at 64° C. 0.39 0.41 0.82 1.02 1.27 2.32 3.00 5.21 Polymerized Δ|G*|/sinδ (compared to 0 0.015 0.426 0.630 0.879 1.922 2.607 4.813 Oil day 0) 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of polymerizing a petroleum-based oil, comprising: heating a petroleum-based oil to at least 100° C.; adding a sulfur-containing compound to the heated oil; and allowing the sulfur-containing compound to react with the oil to produce a polymerized oil crosslinked with the sulfur-containing compound, the oil comprising a polymeric distribution having about 2 to about 80 wt % oligomer content, and a sulfur content ranging from about 0.001 wt % to about 8 wt % wherein a weight ratio of the polymerized oil to a combination of the petroleum-based oil and the sulfur content of the polymerized oil is 1:1.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing a gas-containing stream through the reaction mixture during the reacting of the sulfur-containing compound with the oil.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the gas-containing stream is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, and inert gas.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein during the heating of the oil, the oil is heated to about 130° C. to about 250° C.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfur-containing compound is added in a solid form, a molten form, or a combination thereof.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfur-containing compound is a reduced form of sulfur.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfur-containing compound is elemental sulfur.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an accelerator after adding the sulfur-containing compound to the heated oil.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the oligomer content ranges from about 15 to about 60 wt %.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfur content is less than about 6 wt %.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sulfur content is less than about 2 wt %.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymerized oil has a flash point ranging from about 100° C to about 400° C.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymerized oil has a flash point ranging from about 245° C. to about 275° C.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the polymerized oil is a liquid at 40° C.
 15. A modified asphalt comprising the polymerized oil made in accordance to claim
 1. 16. A modified asphalt for use in compositions for paving roads comprising the polymerized oil made in accordance to claim
 1. 17. A modified asphalt for use in compositions for roofing materials comprising the polymerized oil made in accordance to claim
 1. 18. A rejuvenator for use in asphalt comprising polymerized oil made according to claim
 1. 19. A performance grade modifier for use in asphalt comprising polymerized oil made according to claim
 1. 20. A compatibilizer and swelling agent for use in asphalt comprising polymerized oil made according to claim
 1. 21. A warm mix additive for use in asphalt comprising polymerized oil made according to claim
 1. 